Laundry pressing iron



May 13, 1941. w. M. CISSELL LAUNDRY PRESSING IRON Filed Nov. 23, 1937 F/QQLB.

William M. Cissell.

INVENTOR ZQo-L...

ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAUNDRY PBESSING IRON William M. Cissell, Jeflerson County, Ky. Application November 23, 1937, Serial No. 176,000

Claims.

ment.

An object of the invention is to provide a pressing iron of the indicated character having highly improved means for receiving steam from an external supply, conditioning the steam received within the iron, and then discharging the conditioned steam onto material being pressed; the conditioning consisting of retarding the flow of the steam as it passes through the iron per se, removing condensate from the steam, converting the condensate into steam, and regulating the humidity of the steam discharged upon the material being pressed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pressing iron of the indicated character, having means for steaming and drying in a single pressing operation, whereof materials can be pressed and steamed or dried in one motion of I the pressing iron, so that the operator's time and capacity is utilized more eiilciently.

A further object resides generally in the sturdy and simple construction of the pressing iron and its accessories, whereof it can be readily manuiactured and easily maintained.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in the utilization of certain novel principles.

iron without the projecting accessories.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the iron along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the for-- ward end of the iron showing a modified mounting for the air injector and fluid dispenser.

Figure 6 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, or the air injector and fluid dispenser employed in Figure 5. Y

Numeral I0 designates the sole plate of the iron, I I the cover, I2 the handle. IS the forearmport, and I 4 the rear support for the handle I2.

A fluid chamber IN is formed in the forward portion of the sole plate, which chamber is closed except for an inlet conduit I5, outlet holes I02, and a marginaloutlet slit I03. The complete details of conduit it are not shown in Figure 1, since this may be either a part of the sole plate, or a metallic or asbestos compound pipe. However, a preferred structure is shown in Figure 1A in which I50 is a pipe body having an enlarged head I5I from which a nozzle I52 and an air channel I53 extend; the two latter elements leading into conduit I5. In cap I54 the plurality of holes I55 admit air, while the elbow I0 serves to connect conduit 21 with nozzle I52'for discharging a Jet of conditioned steam into chamber IOI via conduit I5. Thus it will be perceived that air is drawn through holes I55 and mixed with the steam for reducing the temperature of the latter. It should be noted, although not shown by the drawing in full detail, that cap I54 can be rotated to control the area of air opening in communication with the air channel. This is effected by rotating cap I50 and one or more of the openings I55 out of register with a semi-circular slot in the head IEI.

Numeral t0 designates a nipple through which steam is received and delivered to conduit I04 for treatment as fully explained in United States the steam discharged onto the. material being pressed, and thus prevent spotting thereby.

Conduit 2i is preferably fixedly connected to the discharge end of conduit I05, as shown in Figure 2, and receives dry steam at a temperature in'excess of that required. Therefore, as a direct and eflicacious means for dissipating a portion of this heat, the outlet of conduit ii is "connected to conduit I5 through elbow I6, and the conduit 2| is provided with a series of metallic radiating discs-22 to produce a relatively high capacity heat dissipator or exchanger in order that material quantities of heat can be dissipated. Obv'iously proportioning the heat exchanger will con-- trol the temperature of steam as desired.

As a means for further reducing the temperature of the steam before delivery to chamber IOI', where it is again momentarily subjected to high heat, air is drawn into the air channel I53,

as explained above in terms of Figure 1A, to prevent the fluid. mixture of steam and air from spotting.

attaining an undesired high temperature before discharge from apertures I02 and slit II. In Figure 4, the slit is shown disposed at an angle to the vertical, with the slit per se disposed above the face of the iron, so that the dispensed fluid is freely discharged onto the material under 1 treatment and thereby efl'ect partial condensation before contacting said material. It will be obvious that these openings can be varied as to magnitude,'-location or, combination, to dispense the fluid for attainment of results within the range of this pressing iron. The ridges or perches IIIB are provided for supporting and/or receiving a conventional heater element I 01, also for attachment of accessories after conventional practice.

From the foregoing description of Figs. 1, 1A, 2 and 3, it will be apparent that the steam redischarged upon the work is accurately determined in the immediate vicinity of the work irrespective of the irregularitiesthat may occur in the quality of the'steam delivered from the steam supplyline to the steam inlet 20.

- In the modification shown in Figure 5' the heat exchanger has been eliminated, and a short conduit 25 substituted for the long one 2|. Conduit 25 is similarly attached to conduit I 04 in the sole'plate Ill, and adiustably terminates in an arm 28. which conduit forms the latter's sole support. When coupling nut 250 isloose, said arm can be adjusted to a selected position. This arm is similar in principle to the structure shown ceived in conduit HM is super-heated by the heating element I01 associated with the sole plate IO. Likewise, .by reason of the water trapping means llllb disposed within conduit I04 in accordance with the teachings of my said earlier United States Letters Patent No. 1,799,281 issued April 7, 1931, all free-water carried in the steamreceived in the conduit I04 is converted into steam. Thus, the steam leaving conduit I04 via conduit 2| .is super-heated, dry, and free of all free-water. Since the relative humidity of this super-heated steam is very low, and the tem- .perature thereof is in excess of that required. awadi'ator or heat exchanger 22 is included in the conduit 2| for reducing the temperature of V the steam flowing therethrough. Obviously, any reduction in the temperature of the steam increases the relative humidity thereof.

Accordingly, for further reducing the temperature of the steam flowing from the conduit I II into chamber II, a mixing conduit Ills connected between the conduit 2! and the chamber llll, which mixing conduit is provided with a steam nozzle I52 and a rotatable cap I" for regulating the amount of 'air drawn through the openings I55 into the air channel [53 by reason of the suction created within the mixing conduit in response to the steam discharged from the nozzle I52. As mentioned hereinbefore,

regulating the amountof air mixed with the" regulates its temperature and steam directly humidity.-

in Figure 144. However, there is no counterpart to cap I54, as air channels In and! are substantial equivalents, likewise conduits I5 and 28! are practical equivalents. Nozzle lfl has been added to the remote'end, and when in use is disposed adjacent the,.nose" or remote end of sole plate ll so as'not to drag on the material under treatment. Since arm 26 is. adjustable, i. e. rotatively attached to conduit 25, it can be swung as desired for delivery of the fluid in advance of the iron as it travels during a forward pressing operation.

It is to be understood that changes from the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

'1. A pressing'iron, comprising a sole plate having an internal steam conduit; an'external arm adiustably mounted on the iron and having a dispensing chamber formed therein; a' nozzle. leading therefrom; said dispensing chamber having an air intake formed therein; a steam inlet communicating with the internal conduit, and an external conduit connecting said internal conduit with said chamber.

- conduit; and anexternal conduit connecting said Therefore, mixing air with the super-heated steam in the immediate vicinity of the work. reduces the temperature thereof and converts the steaminto a relatively wet steam, free of any globules of free water, which steam has a saturated vapor content sufllcient to provide the ,required moistening of the work without supply line is highly variable and unsuitable, by-

reason oi water -of condensation being carried with the steamas globules of free water. Hence.

': in the present embodiment, the steam is superheated to a temperature much in excess "of that required for the steam, so as to remove positively'all traces of free-water; and to convert all --moisture'into vapor thoroughly diffused in'the arrangement internal conduit with said dispensing chamber, said arm being mounted on and carried by said external conduit.

3. A' steam-dispensing pressing-iron having in I combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operation of the iron is treated, said conduit having an inlet for receiving condensateladen steam and an outletffor delivering treated steam ontothe surface of material being pressed by the said iron; means ope'ratively associated with the said conduit for arresting condensate from the said steam; a heating element operativelyassociated withthe .arrestlng means for converting the arrested condensate into steam: and a heat exchanger exposed to the atmosphere and operatively associated with the outlet of the said conduit for reducing the temperature of the steam. The temberaturelof the steam is then 1 reducedin the immediate vicinity of the work to provide a moist steam having a high vapor content. Thus, the moist condition of the steam treated steam and converting the same into a relatively moist steam. v

4. A steam-dispensing pressing-iron having in combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operational the iron is treated, said conduit having an inlet for receiving condensateladen steamand an outlet for delivering treated steam onto the surface of material being pressed by the said iron; "means operatively associated with the said conduit for arresting condensate from the said steam; a heating element operatively associated with the arresting means for converting the arrested condensate intoasteam; and means operatively associated with the outlet of the said conduit and activated by the flow of said steam for admitting air into the treated steam, to reduce the temperature of the treated steam and to convert the same into a relatively moist steam.

5. A steam-dispensing pressing-iron having in combination, a conduit within which'steam employed in the operation of the iron is treated, said conduit having'an inlet for receiving condensate laden steam and an outlet for-delivering treated steam onto the surface of material being pressed by the said iron; means operatively associated with the said conduit for raising the'temperature of the steam received therein and converting the same into a relatively dry steam; and means opconduit having an inlet for receiving condensateladen steam and an outlet for dispensing steam treated within the said conduit; an arm disposed externally having an outlet for delivering treated steam onto the surface of material-being pressed by the said iron; means operativeiy connecting the outlet of the said conduit and the outlet of the said arm for conducting treated steam from the outlet of the said conduit to the outlet of the said arm; means operatively associated with the said conduit for arresting condensate from the said steam; heating means operatively associated with eratively associated with the outlet of the said 4 conduit for reducing the temperature of the treated steam and converting the same into a relatively moist steam.

6. A steam-dispensing pressing-iron having in combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operation of the iron is treated. saidconduit having an inlet for receiving condensateladen steam and an outlet for delivering treated steam onto the surface of material being pressed by the said iron; means operatively associatedwith the said conduit for arresting condensate from the said steam; heating means operatively associated with the arresting -means for converting the arrested condensate into steam; and means operatively associated with the outlet of the said conduit for admitting a quantity of air into the treated steam, to reduce the temperature of the treated steam and convert the same into a'relatively moist steam.

"l. A steam-dispensingpressing' iron' having in combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operation of the iron is treated,

said conduit having an inlet for receiving condensate-laden steam and an outlet'for delivering treated steam onto the surface of material being pressed by the said iron; means operatively asthe arresting means for converting the arrested condensate into steam; and means operatively associated with the outlet of the said conduit for reducing the temperature of the treated steam and converting the same into a relatively moist steam.

' 9; Ar steam-dispensing pressing-iron having, in combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operation of the iron is treated,..

said conduit having an inlet for receiving untreated steam' containing water of condensation entrained therein andan outlet for discharging treated steam onto the-surfaceof material being pressed by the said iron; heating means operatively associated with the said conduit for supersociated with the said conduit for arresting condensate from the said steam; heating means op eratively associated with the arresting meansfor converting the arrested condensate into steam;

and means operatively associated'with the outlet of the said conduit for reducing the temperature of the treated steam and converting the same into a relatively moist steam.

, 5 8. A steam-dispensing pressing-iron having in combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operation of the iron is treated, said heating the untreated steam and all entrained water of condensation received therein, to con.- vert the same into a relatively dry super-heated steam; and cooling means operatively'associated with the said conduit between the heating means and the outlet of the conduit for reducing the temperature of .the super-heated steam and converting the same into a relatively moist steam.

10. A steam-dispensing pressing-apparatus having, in combination, a conduit within which steam employed in the operation 0! the apparatus is treated, said conduit having an inlet for receiving untreated steam containing water of condensation entrained therein and an outlet for 5 by the said apparatus before the moisture can :etti'le out of the mist as a condensation precipi- WEHAMMCISSHL. 

